Pack for dispensing lubricating oils



June 8, 1937. A, R, SPEARE 2,083,479

PACK FOR DISPENSING LUBRICATING OILS Filed Nov. 5, 1935 zvela-orlbelzpeare y morne Patented June 8, 1937 'l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE4 Claims.

In the operation of internal combustion engines, notably in theautomobile, the dispensing of lubricating oil has become increasingly amatter of sales servi-ce.

'Ihe public has come generally to demand its preferred grade and qualityof lubricant and to have it in guaranteed standard units so that bothquality and amount are assured. This is iinportant particularly inautomobile operation because servicing by crank case filling must bewhen and where the need arises.

The present methods of dispensing motor oil at garages and iillingstations may be generally divided into three classes. The oil is pumpedfrom containers into liquid measures, or in some instances poured fromprefilled bottles or poured from tin cans, sealed at the factory andpunctured in the presence of the customer. The rst two methods have thedefect that most containers are subject to rell by unscrupulous dealerswith inferior oil. In the case of bottles, the cost of return to factoryfor sealed refilling is heavy and loss by breakage considerable.

Dispensing from the sealed cans gives better assurance, but is expensiveand wasteful in storage and involves a serious disposal problem of theempty cans.

My concept of the solution of all these difficulties of demand is one ofadherence to accepted practices based on the intelligent desires of theengine operator. However, it is radical in its departure from previousideas of what was possible in dispensing oil. Not only doe oil presentdifficulties due to the physical characteristics, but its dispensing ona basis of assured servicing adds many complicating factors abovesuggested.

It is highly desirable for the`hon'est dispenser that the oil beserviced in pre-sealed certified 40 form of standard unit. Thisnecessitates the factor of ready inspection as to body, color, viscosityand other characteristics which an educated public has learned asnecessary factors in motor maintenance and operation. The converse ofthe requirements are the very practical considerations of the dealer whohas to maintain the service for the customer. The problem imposes strictlimitations as to cost and the limitations of stations with maximumdemand on extremely limited operating space make an expensive andannoying burden of empty containers that must be disposed oi'. As thematter of cost is a most ,serious factor my invention is of greatimportance in that it offers great economy and a great saving toproducer and dispenser,

(Cl. 20G-46) My concept is that of a basis of unit dispensation in whicha measured quantity of oil is iso-4 lated, sealed, handled and sodelivered to the motor with full possibilities of inspection, and with aresidual empty container of negligible proportions and one capable ofeasy disposal.

The apparent inconsistency of these factors is eliminated by the factdeveloped by my concept that a body of oil may be most advantageouslyhandled if coniined in a limp, thin envelope in direct contrast to theprevious tradition that it could only be handled in rigid holders suchas bottles, cans or like known containers.

My concept is that the true basis of oil dispensation is that unitconsisting of the measured body of oil isolated by a mere skin or limpmembrane and capable of exible conformance in a. rigid pack for shipmentand storage. One important factor making such a practical possibility isthe inclusion with the oil in such a limp unit of a small body of airwhich gives the unit a self-cushioning capacity.

My invention is adapted to meet the wide ranges of form, size or volumewhich are involved in the dispensing of oil but for the purposes ofillustration it is only necessary to present a. simple characteristicexample of its practice. Variations, modications and adaptations willoccur readily to those skilled in the art and will naturally develop tomeet the needs or desires of producer and purchasing public withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as herein disclosed.

In the drawing illustrating the .selected example,

Fig. 1 shows in plan view a portion of a pack.

Fig. 2 is a section through the cell Wall on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1,but leaving. the oil unit in elevation.

Fig. 3 illustrates the Withdrawal of an oil unit from a shipping packfor service delivery to the motor.

Fig. 4 illustrates a simple type of delivery can or funnel.

Fig. 5 is a section through a characteristic unit seal as on the line5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic study of a unit encasement for the envelopmentof the unit volume of oil on which the pack is based.

The unit bodies of oil to be isolated, packed, shipped and dispensed maybe of pint, quart, litre or other volume, but as the current practice inthe United States is on the quart volume basis it may be understood thatsuch is the body of oil making up the illustrative units I.

units are Withdrawn as indicated in Fig. 3.

'Ihe packs, which comprise rigid walls I0 and partitions II, provide asmany cells I2 as are desired to give the total volume of the pack asdelivered to the service station. The pack may be opened and exposed toprospective purchasers as the units are tamper-proof. In servicing, theIn so doing the seal 2 affords a convenient grasp and provides asuspending yoke for the limply encased body of oil.

The seal 2 may be of any material or type. As indicated in the drawing,a crimped on metal strip affords a simple inexpensive and tamperproofseal that can be permanently applied after lling and carries any desiredmarking as to quantity, grade, body or trade mark or other indicationsof source or original responsibility for the unit and the pack.

As previously indicated, a characteristic feature of my concept is thatthe body of oil con.- stitutes a limp conforming unit which, whenpositioned in the rigid walled cell I2, slumps under its own weight intoextended contact with the cell walls. This limpness of the unit I alsofunctions conveniently in dispensing as indicated in Fig. 4. Here,again, the natural slump of the unit I into the dispensing vessel orfunnel F facilitates the expulsion or discharge of the oil through theruptures caused by the blades or pins f at the funnel bottom.

The ruptures are, therefore, enlarged beyond the diameter of the bladesso that the unit discharges freely and without choking, leaving only theexhausted skin that confined it but which is held from following theflow of the oil by its seal.

Here, again, my invention involves a feature of double function. Theseal 2 is given a bend, such, for example, as a reversed curve or S-shaped form. This assures the retention of the remains of the unit inthe funnel F instead of a possible escape with the discharge.

The other function of the bent seal is in its relation to the form orcross section of the unit when in the rigid cell I2 of the pack. In thisits function is importantly related to the unit encasement as well asthe rigid cell.

While my units I have been described as limp to the degree of sagging orbulging, they should be of very definite proportions so that, whateverthe design, there may be certain standard capacities.

In Fig. 6 I have attempted diagrammatically to show the proper basis foranalysis of a characteristic encasement. For strength, economy andgeneral efliciency as a unit or in a pack assembly my concept placespreference on a generally cylindrical type of unit having ahemispherical bottom as indicated in Fig. 6. 'I'his permits me tocalculate definitely the unit capacities of oil and the air cushionwhich plays such an important part in making the limp, thin-skinned unitpossible. By providing in the sealed unit a body of air of about ten percent of the volume of oil, the unit becomes self cushioning and able toshift, slump, conform or adjust itself. In fact, these apparently frail,slimsy units that might be said to a quart of oil with a skin on it areso selfcushioning as to withstand dropping without disruption.

The diagrammatic study as suggested in Fig. 6 is based on the arbitraryquart unit and may be explained as follows. If the main body of the oilbe considered as cylindrical for a depth indicated by the bracket A andits end capacity hemispherical with the same radius as that of thecylinder as indicated by bracket B, I obtain on a diameter ofapproximately 2% inches, a combined capacity almost exactly of 57% cubicinches or one fluid quart.

For the proper self-cushioning basis of such a unit I allow about a tenpercent volume. This in the diagram of Fig. 6 is indicated by bracket Cwhile bracket D indicates the double fold areas of the end seal clamp.

It is necessary, however, to bear in mind that in the end sealing thegeneral cylindricity of the oil body of the unit merges in theoreticalfigure from a circular cross section to that of a conical wedge of whichthe seal fold is the edge. This, of course, means that the cylinderbeing flattened to an edge now extends at the fold laterally of thecylindrical figure by roughly 4X5 inch on each side. That is to say, theend fold of the seal is approximately 41/3 inches long.

This as a matter of practical structure requires a sealing strip of atleast equal effective length when clamped. Here would seem a geometricaldifficulty inasmuch as the logical cell for such a unit is one of squarecross section. My concept capitalizes this apparent diiculty bymodifying the overlength of seal in respect to the transverse celldiagonal. This I do by bending or crimping the metal seal into anS-shaped or other sinuous form to give it an effective length to t thediagonal dimension of the square cross section of the cell I2. This no-tonly assures a uniform positioning of the units I in the pack cells tomake for standard efficiency, but increases the nger grip effectivenessof the seal when used as the pull or lifting bar, as in withdrawing theunit from its cell as shown in Fig. 3. These curves or crimps of anydesired bend are formed by the closing dies of the end sealer whichapplies the seal to the unit.

As the confining skin or envelopment of my units I employ as beforesuggested, a thin, limp membrane. This, of course, must be oil proof andshould not be easily creased as anything tending to lessen flexibilityor develop cracks is fatal to my theory of mobility in the unit body.

While various materials are capable of use my concept of maximumeiciency indicates not only oil proofness, flexibility and strength, buta reasonable translucence preferably to a degree of color and bubblevisibility. This is because, as before suggested, one of the advantagesof the non-rigid unit is its capability of affording oil inspection onthe basis of those simple standards upon which the motorist must depend.Visibility means that standard colors and degrees of clarity can berecognized. The air cushion becomes in a properly proportioned unit afactor for bubble test and viscosity.

The least expensive and to Inv knowledge the material best adaptable tomy concept, is a skin of hydrated cellulose. This may be of wood fibreor other vegetable fibre or such combination as contributes theindicated characteristics best adapted for carrying out my inventionwithin the practical limitations of the desired economy.

I indicate hydrated cellulose as preferred and as a novel factor in mygenerally novel unit. In spite of an apparent lack of adaptitude to sucha use it has according to my novel concept of a limp dispensing unit ofoil, most of the potential capabilities which that concept makesavailable. It is, compared with tin or glass, not only relativelyinexpensive but is readily disposed of as undergoing complete combustionin any stove or incinerator. The seals which I rave indicated aspreferably of metal while not :ombustible have a -sufcient salvage valueto ustify handling. More than that, by reason, if their potentialadvertising value, they make a. basis of systematic rebate premium orlike nerchandising basis which also affords an economic factor of greatutility.

As at first suggested, my invention is not only :apable of, but welladapted to a wide range of embodiments and practices.

While proportions may be varied, my invention provides for relativeproportions of practical advantage. Rigid containers, such as cans orbottles when packed in cases, leave considerable waste space. My conceptprovides for a flexible conforming unit which can be made 4of slightlygreater diameter than the side dimension of the rigid cell so that byits own slumping and conforming it tends to ll in the corners of thecell and so reduce empty and waste voids in the pack as a whole. In theinstance of the illustrative unit above discussed; I preferably use aunit of two and three-quarters inch diameter and pack it in a, casehaving cells of two and six-tenths side dimensions.

The skin of the unit is preferably smooth and non-frictional and thecell walls are also preferably smooth and non-frictional so that theunits may be packed or unpacked freely and yet have a maximumlnterengagement due to the conformability of the flexible cylindricalunit to the rigid retaining Wall of their cells. The units and cellsmay, of course, be of other form of cross-section than the circle andsquare, but these are simple and desirable.

All such modifications and variants are to be understood as within myconcept.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In combination with a fluid-dispensing unit comprising aself-cushioning, conformable fluid encasement of thin, tough, pliant,transparent, readily disruptible cellulosic material containing fluidand a protective cushioning medium, and an elongated relatively rigidtop seal, a reenforcing` pack comprising a rigid cell, saidfluiddispensing unit being adapted to be inserted within and conform tothe contour of said rigid cell whereby to be supported during shipmentor storage, said seal being of a length somewhat greater than anydimension of said cell and being bent upon itself for insertion in saidcell to provide a spring interlock of encasement and cell, and beingadapted upon further bending to release said encasement from said celland providing a handle whereby said unit may be inserted into andremoved from said cell and transported to the point of use.

2. In combination with a fluid dispensing unit comprising aself-cushioning, conformable fluid encasement of thin, tough, pliant,transparent, readily disruptible cellulosic material containing fluidand a protective cushioning medium, and an elongated relatively rigidtop seal, a reenforcingpackn comprisingY a rigid rectangular cell, saidseal being of a length greater than'any dimension of said cell and beingadapted to be bent upon itself and inserted in said cell diagonallythereof to provide a spring interlock of encasement and cell and beingadapted upon further bending to release said encasement from said celland providing a handle whereby said unit may be inserted into andremoved from said cell and transported to the point of use.

3. In combination with a self-cushioning, conformable fluid encasementcontaining fluid and a protective cushioning medium, and an elongatedrelatively rigid top seal, a reenforcing pack comprising a rigid cell,said fluid encasement being adapted to be inserted within and conform tothe contours of said rigid cell whereby to be supported during shipmentor storage, said seal being of a length somewhat greater than anydimension of said cell and being bent upon itself for insertion intosaid cell to provide a spring interlock of encasement and cell, andbeing adapted upon further bending to release said encasement from saidcell and providing a handle whereby said unit may be inserted into andremoved from said cell and transported to the point of use.

4. A duid-dispensing unit comprising a unitary conformablefluid-containing encasement of cellophane and an elongated substantiallyrigid but bendable metallic sealing strip crimped on the open end ofsaid encasement and providing a handle therefor.

ALBERT R. SPEARE.

